Lindsay Ashford 619405 222632727 2008-06-30T10:36:38Z Harryboyles 754264 Fix date parameter in inline maintenance tag(s) '''Lindsay Ashford''' (born approx [[1969]]) is an [[United States|American]] [[Pro-pedophile activism|pro-pedophile activist]] based in the [[Netherlands]]. Ashford says that he realized he was a [[Pedophilia|pedophile]] at the age of 30. In a [[2004#February|February 2004]] [[New Jersey]] newspaper interview, he said that he was "tired of being forced into the shadows by society" because he is a pedophile.<ref name=Express-Times> {{cite news | last = Flanagan | first = Russ | title = I'm tired of being forced into the shadows by society | publisher = The Express-Times | date = [[2004-02-22]] | url = http://www.nj.com/specialprojects/expresstimes/index.ssf?/news/expresstimes/stories/molesters1_otherside.html | accessdate = 2007-07-25 }}</ref> Ashford calls for tolerance of [[pedophilia]] and for change of [[age of consent]] laws. His definition of pedophilia differs from the ones in [[colloquial]] use, and he asserts that common assumptions about pedophiles are not always true. Ashford asserts that many children and adolescents are capable of being informed consenting partners in romantic relationships with adults, and that such relationships can be based on mutual romantic and emotional, though not necessarily sexual, connections. He claims that adult-child romantic involvement is not in itself a form of [[child sexual abuse]] or [[child abuse]].<ref name=Express-Times/> ==Missing children service== In July 2005, Ashford came under heavy criticism by investigative reporters for running a missing children's website himself, which included photos of individual children.<ref>http://www.wxyztv.com/wxyz/ys_investigations/article/0,2132,WXYZ_15949_3913119,00.html {{Dead link|date=March 2008}}</ref> ==Barack Obama controversy== In March 2007, Ashford once again came under scrutiny in the [[United States]] when it was discovered that in April 2006 he had started a [[blog]] on his website, called ''Puellula'', which included the claim that the candidate to win the [[United States presidential election, 2008|2008 US presidential election]] would be "based upon what lovely First Daughter we can look forward to watching grow up for four to eight years". According to Ashford, the post was intended to be a satirical commentary regarding media outlets' past track record of predicting political outcomes of candidates, as well as to illustrate political candidates who utilize their children as a means of drawing in popularity and potential votes. The blog included photos of some candidates' children, one of which was a press-release photo of [[Barack Obama]]'s family, including his two prepubescent daughters. Ashford was contacted by the Senator's lawyers, who demanded the removal of the image on the grounds of copyright infringement and defamation of character.<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2929219&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312 ABC News: Criminal or Just Creepy?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Ashford complied in the removal of images, but did not comply with the request to remove all references to Obama nor links to his website. Ashford continues to profess his support for Obama as a candidate, linking to pro-Obama sites, due to the Senator's position on the war in Iraq, environmental policy, and other political issues.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,256740,00.html FOXNews.com - Pedophile Removes Web Photo of Obama's Daughters After Legal Threat - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Police investigation== In August 2007, police in [[Montreal]], [[Canada]] began an investigation into ''Puellula'', Ashford's website, because the activist added Montreal Children's Festival to a newly-created section dedicated to listing events where young girls gather.<ref>[http://940montreal.com/news.php?cat=23&id=801123 940 MONTREAL<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Ashford dubbed the new page "LGWatch" and acknowledged that he got the idea from another pro-pedophile activist,<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2007/08/01/qc-pedophile0801.html?ref=rss Pedophile website promotes Montreal Children's Festival<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> [[Jack McClellan]], who ran a similar site in [[Washington]] and later in [[California]].<ref>[http://www.komotv.com/news/7987267.html Admitted pedophile leaves state, heads south | KOMO-TV - Seattle, Washington | News<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Website closure== On [[August 17]], [[2007]], Ashford shut down his ''Puellula'' website, posting a notice explaining that the closure was not connected to any police investigation, but rather due to his inability to keep a job once employers became aware of the website. ==Interview with Dr Tanya Byron== On [[May 5]], [[2008]] the television channel [[BBC2]] broadcasted an interview conducted between consultant clinical psychologist [[Dr. Tanya Byron]], Dr. Gary Humphrey (backstage advisor) and Lindsay Ashford as part of the programme series "Am I Normal?" in which she suggested that he would benefit from psychiatric help in order to come to terms with his past (he was abused by a female carer as a 4 year old boy). She had also accused him of 'grooming' young girls via his website (now shut down) which contained pages akin to those found on girly social networking sites, and which painted child-adult relationships in a positive light. Ashford heatedly informed her that she was not in a position to make a psychological assessment of him after a one hour interview, especially since he had been analysed by psychiatrists in the past. He also stated that he would allow his own young daughter to have a sexual relationship with someone like him if anti-paedophilia laws did not exist.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo/listings/programme.shtml?day=today&service_id=4224&filename=20080505/20080505_2300_4224_20966_60 {{Dead link|date=May 2008}}</ref><ref>[http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article3875713.ece Tanya Byron: Am I Normal?; Flood] Andrew Billen, ''[[The Times]]'' May 6, 2008</ref> ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== *[http://www.nj.com/specialprojects/expresstimes/index.ssf?/news/expresstimes/stories/molesters1_otherside.html "'I'm tired of being forced into the shadows by society'"], Express Times (New Jersey), [[22 February]] [[2004]] *[http://www.kfor.com/Global/story.asp?S=4128092 "Pedophile Website"], KFOR TV, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, [[16 November]] [[2005]] *[http://www.ksn.com/news/stories/10174721.html "Pedophile on the Internet"], KSN News, Wichita, Kansas, [[23 November]] [[2005]] *[http://www.channelcincinnati.com/health/5451023/detail.html "Pedophile's Web Site Outrages Slain Girl's Mother"], Channel Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, [[2 December]] [[2005]] *[http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2007/5/10/247948.html "Pedophilia website a concern for parents and FBI"],Baynews 9, Tampa, Florida, [[10 May]] [[2007]] *[http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=80895 "Pedophilia Web Sites From Abroad Frustrate Local Authorities"], First Coast News, Jacksonville, Florida, [[26 April]] [[2007]] *[http://www.ktrh.com/cc-common/mainheadlines3.html?feed=121300&article=2012147 "Some Organizations Trying to Shut Down Pedophile Site"], KTRH, Houston, Texas, [[20 April]] [[2007]] *[http://940montreal.com/news.php?cat=23&id=801123 "Montreal police investigating after pedophile website recommends kids' event"], 940 Montreal, Montreal Quebec, Canada [[20 August]] [[2007]] {{DEFAULTSORT:Ashford, Lindsay}} [[Category:1968 births]] [[Category:Pedophile activism]] [[Category:American expatriates]] [[Category:Living people]]